Shortly after 9/11 twelve years ago, the federal government created the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to protect air travel and prevent similar attacks. In 2012, the TSA had a budget of $8.1 billion, and while it claims to improve airport security, it fails to do so. Additionally, their checkpoints are privacy-invasive and cumbersome, negatively impacting the air travel industry. For these reasons, the agency should be abolished.
As a response to the 9/11 attacks, one would expect that the TSA would improve airport security. In reality, it's just security theater. Originally, the use of metal detectors and luggage x-rays in airport security checkpoints was enough. However, on December 25, 2009, an inbound international flight was the target of an attempted bomb plot. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab got past security screening and successfully boarded the plane with explosives packed in his underwear. He nearly succeeded in detonating the bomb, but the detonation didn't go as planned and passengers overpowered him before he could fix the detonation[0]. As a result, the TSA increased the use of full-body scanners to replace metal detectors. Before the 2009 attack, there were only 40 full-body scanners in use across 19 airports. After the attack, the government planned to have over 1000 machines in use by the end of 2011. However, the expensive machines are ineffective. In 2010, TV personality Adam Savage unintentionally managed to get two 12" long razor blades through security[1]. In 2011, an undercover TSA agent was able to successfully pass through the scanners with a handgun in her underwear, repeatedly[2]. The TSA is clearly incapable of creating a truly safe airport checkpoint, and is becoming less effective the longe...
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...ate its transportation security program.
Works Cited
[0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Christmas_Day_bomb_plot
[1] http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20023820-71.html
[2] http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/TSA-Agent-Slips-Through-DFW-Body-Scanner-With-a-
Gun-116497568.html
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millimeter_wave_scanner
[4] http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/26/tsa-pats-down-elderly-woman- removes-adult-diaper-video [5] http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/05/11/baby-receives-pat-down-at-kansas-city-airport-video
[6] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/business/airport-screening-is-still-a- pain-fliers-complain.html [7] http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/travelers-say-they%E2%80%99ll- skip-the-airport-and-hit-the-road-in-2011 [8] http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/11/12/travel.screening
[9] http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/airlines-profit-more-by-flying-less
One of these agents once told me that they had to do their job but they were also proud of the work since they believed they helped to keep our flights safely. Even though, we all hate to go through TSA scanners for they are time-consuming and so annoying. I certainly won’t convince anyone who despises those TSA scanners. Luke 6:31 says, “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” Eventually, those TSA agents should get compliments from us for keeping flights safely. I often wonder if there is a better way to go through these obnoxious
The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2011 prompted the world to reevaluate and drastically modify airport and airline security. “Four targets had been chosen, all iconic American buildings that would send a clear message of the depth of their hatred for the United States. All four planes crashed, killing all on board—terrorists, crew members, and passengers, along with hundreds who were killed inside the structures, on the ground, and the men and women who ran into collapsing buildings in an effort to try and save others” (Smutz 1). As Jason Villemez said “the decade after the 9/11 attacks reshaped many facets of life in America” (Villemez 1). Before the attacks, people did not think that large scale hostility towards innocent people in our country was remotely possible. Ever since that fateful moment, citizens in America are on their toes every day worrying about another attack happening. United States citizens have had to adapt and change in response to this fear of further terrorist assault on our country. One of the ways they have adapted is by changing their means of security concerning airline travel.
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After the fear of terrorism grew in the United States do to the Al Qaeda 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, the US Government found a need for a centralized department that umbrellas all other agencies when it comes to homeland security. The U.S. Government found this umbrella agency with the passage of the Homeland Security Act by Congress in November 2002, the Department of Homeland Security formally came into being as a stand-alone, Cabinet-level department to further coordinate and unify national homeland security efforts. (Homeland Security) With the creation of the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the government had a pinpoint location for the collection and gathering of intelligence, control of policies that effect national security, and a no fail mission. The Department of Homeland Security started to engulf other agencies and created many more, a total of 22 agencies now fall under the DHS. The DHS is control of all areas that deal with national security which included but are not limited to coastal and boarder protection, domestic terrorism, international terrorism, protection of the American people, protection of key infrastructure, protection of key resources and respond to natural disasters.
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Neither the Branch Davidians, nor the ATF, nor the FBI, were composed of or led by stupid persons. Yet at Waco, all of these groups made extremely bad decisions. One reason for the high-risk, low-quality decisions of the Branch Davidians, ATF, and FBI is that these groups of intelligent individuals could collectively make decisions much worse than the individuals might have made if they had decided alone.
The Patriot Act has been under scrutiny and opposition since its creation following 9/11. When 9/11 struck it was clear that Americas intelligence was lacking in some specific way, but it was translated that America needed greater allowance for gathering information. The Patriot Act was signed on October 26, 2001, very close to 9/11. It can be concluded that the Patriot Act was signed with such extreme ability’s applied, because of how close it was signed after 9/11. The Act Greatly expands the liberty’s if law enforcement in their efforts to gather information, which in turn imposes on the privacy of the American people. The FBI has the ability to study any citizen suspected of terrorism, and has access to all their information. Wire Taps and other invasive action are allowed and granted by the Patriot Act. Was the Patriot Act signed to quickly? Are its measures to extreme? When is the line drawn on how much power the government can have? Is the Patriot Act effective enough that it is necessary? Should we as Americans willing to trade freedom for safety? Can the Patriot Act effectively stop or hinder terrorist attacks; has its stopped enough attacks to be validated? Another question is does America want a government that has that much power, how much are we as Americans willing to sacrifice, and how much more liberty’s is the government going take. If the government can pass the patriot act, what other legislation can they pass? In reality it all comes down to the American people, we are democracy but do we have the power in are hands? When finding all these questions one asks do we need an act that is in fact this controversial? Is the Patriot Act a necessary evil? To find this answer we have to answer all the questio...
It is very sad that it took two tragic and deadly accidents to make a significant change in the way aviation was regulated. The incidents that led to the creation of the bill that created the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 could have been prevented if safety precautions had been put in place sooner. Unfortunately, the aviation industry was only reactive rather than proactive when it came to airline safety. Nowadays, the private and commercial aviation safety is much more proactive and safety is the number one priority. FAA regulation has not only help aviation become one the top modes of transportation, but also one of the safest in the
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Does the thought of going through airport security make you want to jump off a bridge? Some people may think that security in airports is either too strict, or it is not enforced enough. Airport security has certainly developed over time, both in terms of more technology, and in terms of increased security. It has had a lot of reasons to step up, both with terrorist attacks, and with other incidents, such as the way that explosive technology has evolved. The topic of airport security is a big debate: is it too strict or not strict enough? It is important that people know and understand both sides of this important issue.
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